You know by now the girls are driven to be out and going. And conversely, they are NOT pleased to be home and sitting still. This Pandemic is just a magnifier of that struggle.
We continue to look for out of doors areas to visit. I don’t know all the latest “facts and figures” but it SEEMS safest to be outside. But that is not always the easiest way to go with power, or even manual, wheelchairs. The two recent flash floods didn’t add to our convenience, either.
So when the girls wanted a field trip to send a caregiver off to college with style, I found something new to do about an hour drive from us. As is currently normal, you need to grab your masks for public areas.
If you are from the North East you are probably already familiar with Cabelas sporting store in Hamburg Pa.
Some people enjoy the store as a field trip destination in itself. They have different backgrounds in the store of large and small game that have been preserved among a faux backdrop of the great outdoors.
As one of the largest Cabela’s stores, we pulled out all the stops to bring a serious outdoor experience to the Keystone state. Located just off I-78, the massive 250,000 square foot retail showroom is packed with outdoor equipment and experienced Outfitters who are ready to help you get the most out of your next adventure.
Upon entry, you’ll discover why we have become a destination from the geese flying overhead to the wildlife and fish mounts throughout the entire store.We also feature, 3 wildlife exhibits and 2 live fish exhibits.
Our 30 foot tall Conservation Mountain, features two waterfalls and 126 mounts including a record breaking black bear, non-typical elk, moose, four species of bear, caribou, muskoxen, the North American Sheep “Grand Slam” and so much more. Our Deer Country Museum boasts 97 mounts with lots of hidden gems including otters, black bear, and mountain lions.
I used this as our starting point because the interstates come together and offer multiple food options in an otherwise small town area.
Plus, if we ran through things too quickly, I knew we could browse the store. Because we had enough things on our agenda that we decided to skip the store and grab some lunch. After enjoying our lunch at a Roadhouse Grille, we headed to Hawk mountain. The drive was no more than fifteen minutes for us, despite the large freight train we waited for. It added to our day.
Hawk mountain is not a state or county park. It is a non-profit.
You will not find deals or discounts for disability at this location. If you DO find a change in that Please leave a comment below!
In 2015 Hawk mountain opened an accessible trail.
The views from the top are spectacular on a clear day. The climb is short and sweet. The cost is $10 per adult. Although I haven’t found anything in writing, they did allow the girls’ caregivers to enter with them at no additional fee.
The trail is 900 feet long with a grade of less than 8.3 percent, below the federal recommendations for national parks. Most areas are less steep, and overall, the trail averages an 8 percent grade.
Bench seating with pull bars in the middle of the seat are located at least every 100 feet.
The trail connects to the Laurelwood Niche, a secluded area for education programs. This educational area is also accessible OR can be used to rest or lunch. We follow a pack-in, pack-out policy.
The South Lookout includes a smooth, flat, and natural viewing area with one bench with pull bar. Nearby are two additional benches that offer a place to rest. Binoculars are recommended at all Lookouts and are available for rent in the Visitor Center.
Trailside restrooms are located near the trailhead entrance and also are ADA compliant. A bench is located near the restrooms.
Trail finish is pressed pebble. After one year this finish will be repressed and excess pepples collected. Note that until this step is complete, the pebbles can pose a problem to people using walkers.
A motorized scooter is available on a first-come, first-serve basis in the Visitor Center.
To extend our visit at Hawk Mountain, we walked through the garden area by the main parking lot.
It was also accessible and had a botanical garden feel. I would enjoy an autumn walk, as well!
After we had our fill of the view, we loaded back up and headed an additional ten or fifteen minutes to Second Mountain Sunflower Farm.
This is located at 324 Second Mountain Road, Orwigsburg PA. It is about 8 miles from Hawk Mountain, or 15 minute drive, assuming you pay attention to your GPS…do a better job than I did! ha!
Once we arrived we were greeted at a field entrance. She radioed ahead and asked them to provide us with a more wheelchair accessible area…and privacy!
I am not sure why the “privacy” part, but we really enjoyed it! We were directed around the back of a hill of flower fields to a flatter area off by ourselves. And how we enjoyed the freedom of wondering the wide paths and cutting at out leisure!
A friend had given us the tip to bring a cooler with water to take our blooms home.
She also reminded me to trim off the lower leaves as we went to make more room. Those were fabulous tips!
You won’t currently find a website for the farm, but you will find the info on their Facebook page:
Many sunflower fields offering fresh blooms weekly! We don’t count stems, only SMILES! Cut your own Bouquet for $5 cash only. Bring scissors, a container & water. Mon-Fri 4-8 Sat-Sun 10am-8 Weather Permitting PLEASE check our page for the Daily Update
It was a great day enjoyed by all. In fact, just before falling off to sleep, Ci called “thanks for today, mom!” for the third time since coming home. I love when I know the girls are thinking back over their day with good memories to tuck away!
Thank-You!
you going to check out the sunflowers? I want to see a picture if you do!
Teresa, I am always amazed and love to read your journaling. Hawk Mountain!
Maybe you will join us on some adventures soon!